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Andrew: Your new album is titled "Condemned2Death", which also happens to be the name the band itself started out with, back in 1983. So would you say that this album is a throwback to your roots?
Condmned?: So let me start by giving a bit of band history to clarify the album title's intention. The first band I joined when I was 17 was Condemned to Death founded by Tim Nelson and Eddie Morgan. The band split up in 85 and I moved to Australia and founded the current band CONDEMNED? with the help of Vicious Circle guitarist/Les Ruminck and Dave Ross/Civil Dissedent/V.C. in 1986 while living in Australia. This was my musical evolution merging Hardcore with Progressive punk-metal music. And lyrically my questions fueled my songwriting and the name of the band! So the album title is honoring the first band I was in C2D, and the roots of my life.

Andrew: You went on a lengthy hiatus and we're glad to have you back and rocking. When did you actually start writing this album, and how long did it take?
Condmned?: Many of these songs where part of the early bands history, re-arranged and riffs added, and some newer written songs. I moved back from Australia and I met Slade Anderson/Mercenary and wecontinued Condemned? in California. We later decided to merge forces with 3 members of Attitude Adjustment. Rick, Slade and I became "Condemned Attitude" with Chris Scaparro/Guitar and Andy Anderson/Vocals later it was just Attitude in 86-87. We wanted to bring home some of the material we did not have a chance to record together and some newer songs Rick and I had written back under one banner. We are now working on newer material for our follow up album this summer called "Steamed Punks".

Andrew: Was it hard at all to be creative as a group, not having released a full-length for 20 plus years?
Condmned?: No, not at all! We all have been in bands all these years and recording also, just not together. When we play together it is very natural and there is no shortage of ideas and song material. I am constantly coming up with new fuel to write lyrics and music!!

Andrew: How much of a challenge was it to get the line-up together and convince everyone to do an album after such a long time?
Condmned?: We were already playing together and we did a demo in 2009 to start things off while living in Hawaii over the internet. So when Markus, Nuclear Blast and I reconnected it was perfect timing!

Andrew: As a follow-up to the previous question, do you think this is the solid line-up that you always wanted, and that this will be the line-up going forward for years to come?
Condmned?: To answer that question fairly Condemned? has been more like a Tribe than just a band, we have several guitar players that have been part our history at times! Sven Soderlund and Chris Scaparro are friends and tribal members alsowho may also appear n future recordings. Being the bass player and founder of the band, Slade Anderson has always been my drummer of choice for this band!!

Andrew: During the time away from Condemned?, each one of you was involved in different musical projects. How much did that help you in keeping yourself motivated and making a strong return now?
Condmned?: It helped keep us playing around the scene and develop all our different talents over the years. Life is our greatest teacher, we all have survived a lot and really feel motivated to work toward our potential as a band! Sometimes expanding to different styles helps you appreciate your roots that much more and drives us to preserve them.

Andrew: What do you think about the development of the crossover punk genre during the time you were on hiatus? Do you hear that old school style of the 80s crossover in bands that exist today?
Condmned?: The East Ðcoast seems to have a strong development of cross-over sounds with Agnostic,Hatebreed and Madball still pumping it out. I like Municipal Waste and Tankard for that Thrash edge we love! I don't really like anything from the Metal-core genre I have heard. I think we may be more of a Progressive Cross-over band with a Rush meets Motorhead flavor.

Andrew: What are some of your favorite crossover bands, specially from the newer generation?
Condmned?: Pat Boone in a Metal Mood is a classic !!!The early bands were developing as we were so we always loved "Bad Brains" and the I against I/Quickness era and Poison Idea were a huge influence plus bands like Beyond Possesion , C.O.C., The Cro-Mags and Crumbsuckers plus all the local acts like Verbal Abuse and D.R.I. were laying it down. Slayer did a great cover album of killer punk cross-over songs and Probot was a cool project album!! Newer acts we have some local acts in Sacto area like Pschosomatic's and The Hood's and Attitude Adjustment is still out there knocking it out.

Andrew: Crossover punk music is known for a rawness in its sound. Were you conscious of keeping that characteristic intact with the new album?
Condmned?: Yes and No, We definetly wanted to keep our true sound that's why we recorded to 2" analog tape in a huge live room for the drums and used classic tube heads for the guitars and bass. Billy Anderson is responsible for producing the disc and capturing our authentic sound, he is like family!

Andrew: The 2-disc version of "Condemed2Death" is the complete package for your fans, as it consists of the older material which is being reissued. Were these old recordings remixed or modified from their original versions?
Condmned?: Yes the 2nd disc is a limited edition compilation of bands over the years from 1983-93. A lot of tapes were reclaimed from vaults in varying conditions. Most of the songs had some equalizing and mixing where possible. But most recordings were 2 track recordings or demo tapes we used from the vaults. It was a way of tying together some of our works over the years.

Andrew: Have you started thinking about doing some tours to promote this album?
Condmned?: Yes, we are planning tours right now! The West-coast to start with and we are working on a fall European tour. There are so many festivals we are pursuing, we'll see what we can jump on!

Andrew: Since you haven't been actively touring for a while now, do you think your setlist on the upcoming tours will be a balance between the old and new tunes, or would you focus primarily on the new album?
Condmned?: We will be playing the new album plus new songs!! We are only looking forward now!!! We did this album to set our foundation and we have together our past works. But our life has some many new experiences and we want to ride the new wave!

Andrew: The lyrics for crossover tunes are largely based on anti-social themes. With this album, did you give importance to writing lyrics that weren't too cliched, and to write something that stood out from other bands doing a similar style?
Condmned?: Rick, Scotty and I both wrote lyrics on this album as well as members of Condemned to Death and Attitude on few songs. So most of the lyrics are older but our newer songs like Cleansing Pool and Cavern in Mind are personal growth and social frustration songs that are very current subjects.

Andrew: What does the future look like for the band? Can we expect more new albums in the next few years?
Condmned?: Oh YES, We have plans for this summer's follow up album "STEAMED PUNKS" and some animated videos expressing our ideas in collaboration with our artist/tattooist Greg Kulz who we have been working with since the founding of the band! We will continue to record and tour, for this actually is just the beginning for us!!!!!

"WE ENDEAVOR TO BE SEVERE"!!!!

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